


Have A Dance With Me?

by MsCashew



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Bi Douglas, Dancing, Fanart, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Marlas Fanart, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pansexual/Demisexual Martin, Pre-Marlas, Slow Dancing, marlas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 10:16:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13568487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsCashew/pseuds/MsCashew
Summary: Mr. Alyakhin has payed and appointed Carolyn to throw a party for new clients wondering about the small airline. The men of MJN are all there, dressed up, and ready to mingle.Martin is watching on when Douglas proposes something for them to do. . .





	Have A Dance With Me?

The garden party Carolyn was throwing was going fairly well.

She made it a whole to do. Fairy lights hanged with care, the caterer picked with care, the bar fully stocked . . All this, of course, at Mr. Alyakhin’s request and expense, as the man wanted to impress the crowd that he had gathered at Carolyn’s.

He had a fair number of new clients. Word of mouth was powerful in his business, many having a genuine curiosity about the airline Mr. Alyakhin had hired.

Of course, Nigel, Ivy, Holly, and dear old Bert couldn’t join them, but Carolyn had a scheduled flight that night just for them.

Noel, however, had the night off. His twin brother, Arthur, steward of MJN, was able to make it.

It was just a normal sort of evening for their little airdot.

It was … A fairly nice evening so far, Martin had to say. There was a live band, people were dancing here and there, an abundance of hors d'oeuvres, spirits being handed out.

Martin was now a bit to the side of the party after his duties of mingling, watching from his seat of a bench, sipping on a glass of wine as he watched a few couples dance, noting Arthur having an excitable conversation with both Herc and one of the clients.

After watching the scene before him for a short while; he looks down on his self, brushing a hand down his waistcoat softly.

He felt… Rather nice. Mr. Alyakhin insisted the men of the airline match for the night, he buying the three of them matching suits, the suit in question fitting Martin very well.

It was now his best suit he owned.

“Having a moment with your new garments?” Came the low, rumbly voice, making Martin lightly blush, not from just being caught admiring his new suit.

“No… Not at all. Just, just a crumb.” Martin replies, still flushing.

“I wouldn’t have faulted you, if you did. It fits you rather well.” Martin blushes madly at this, coughing lightly, as if to cover up his blush.

“You… you really think so?” He looks up a Douglas, finding a playful smile on his face.

“Yes. It ‘ _suits_ ’ you.” He grins, Martin harumphing.

“Ha ha, Douglas.” He grumps, taking a small sip of his wine, looking back to the party.

“It does look nice.” He hears his first officer say, Martin warily peeking over at him, finding him still smiling.

He liked that smile a bit too much.

He liked  _Douglas_  a bit too much.

He sighs.

“Having fun?” Douglas asks, Martin finding he taking a swallow of his glass of apple juice after asking.

“…I suppose. It’s alright… You?”

“It’s alright. Maybe just a tad bit dull here and there.”

“Now that you mention it…” Martin lets his words trail off, taking another sip from his drink.

They stay silent for a short while, the music gentle, warm, the atmosphere nice…

“I have a way we can entertain ourselves,” Douglas speaks up, his glass making a soft, ‘clunk’ sound when he sets it down on the bench.

He’s soon standing in front of Martin, hand now held out expectantly,

“Have a dance with me?” Douglas questions, a roguish smile shining forth, making Martin blush at both the question and gesture.

“Dance? Douglas you’re insane.”

“Possibly a tad bit, but really. Have a dance with me.” Martin would love to. He absolutely would. But things like this didn’t happen to Martin, Martin didn’t get that movie moment where his love interest took any interest in him!

“You’re trying to pull something. I just know it.”

“Nothing whatsoever, sir of sirs. Scouts honor,” Martin just keeps an eye on him, Douglas’ offering hand not wavering one bit, “Really, Martin. I just want to have a dance. Not one soul out there is peaking my interest.”

“Well, thanks for that.” Martin sniffs, crossing his arms, not helping himself in feeling slightly disappointed/sad at Douglas’ statement.

“Come on. If you’re uncomfortable with dancing with a man; we can stay closer to the side here. What do you say?”

With a long, drawn out sigh; Martin takes a quick gulp of his wine before setting it down, it almost spilling over, of course. He slowly places his hand into Douglas’, flushing lightly at his hand in his FO’s, blushing just a titch more at feeling Douglas tighten his grip, standing Martin up, and pulling him into his personal space.

He places Martin’s hand on his arm, and his on Martin’s slim waist, still holding on to the one hand.

Douglas was going to lead…

Douglas was going to lead and Martin rather enjoyed that thought of just being held closely to Douglas for a short while.

They begin soon enough, Douglas leading them into a sort of slow waltz, Martin keeping up, only stepping on Douglas’ toes a couple times…

Oh, he liked this a whole lot.

“You’re letting me lead fairly well?” Douglas comments as they sway about, a small smirk alight on his face.

“Yes. I’ve let a past significant other lead in a dance before.”

“Oh? What was her name?”

“Chad.” Martin bluntly replies, flushing right away, hearing a deep (not unpleasing) chuckle emit from his dance partner.

“Oh, I see. Your bobsled was all inclusive?”

“I’m not exactly straight, if that’s what you’re getting at… Problem?” He adds the last little word, flushing lightly at actually discussing this subject so casually with Douglas.

“None whatsoever. I’d be a right hypocrite if I had a problem with that.”

Martin’s eyes widen slightly at this bit of news. Was… Was Douglas…?

“My sports teams are all very much inclusive.” Well, he didn’t have to play twenty questions in order to figure that out, anyway.

“So you’re… ?” Martin asks, simply to clarify.

“I’m bi, yes. You?”

Martin lightly tenses, not sure what he should say. Should he just say bi and be done with it? He didn’t very well wish to take so many minutes in giving Douglas the rundown of his sexuality.

“Not bi, then?” Douglas supplies, not sounding impatient or any such thing. Just genuinely curious, seeming genuinely not wanting to upset Martin with his question.

“I’m… I’m… Well, I’m somewhere in, in the pansexual, demisexual categories. There are just so many things from both that describe me, and… God, you probably think I’m mad.”

“No, I know both are very similar in a number of ways.”

Martin can only stare in wonder at Douglas. Douglas knew about both sexualities??

“You, you know about those?”

“I thought I’d be prepared as a father, if either of my girls turn out to be part of the LGBTQ plus community, knowing there’s so many more umbrellas than just gay, bi, and straight.” He shrugs with a smile, Martin smiling in turn, they continuing on with their dance for a few long moments in comfortable silence.

They go on dancing through the next couple songs, Martin more than enjoying holding onto Douglas, making very light, comfortable conversation, laughing, just …Having a really nice time. Martin didn’t want it to end for a good long while.

The band begin to play a rather slow song, Martin thinking this may be the end of their dance, preparing to let go on a moments notice.

Douglas however, pulls Martin in just the slightest bit more, Martin feeling his face growing warmer at the gesture.

Douglas smiles warmly at Martin as they dance, Martin smiling widely back.

How had this evening gone from ‘pretty okay’ to ‘wonderful’ in such a short amount of time?

“May I twirl you?” Douglas asks, that warm smile still shining.

Martin’s face must be completely on fire by now with how warm he felt.

“Um, yes?” Douglas laughs low, his smile the slightest bit wider.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Martin responds clearly now, Douglas after a moment, sending him into a gentle, slow twirl, Martin laughing at how absurd this was, how he was  _dancing_ with  **Douglas** , his first officer. He couldn’t have predicted this in his wildest dreams.

His laughing is soon cut short though, as Douglas doesn’t return Martin to his original pose. Martin’s back is now pressed against Douglas’ front, the broad man holding him so closely making him feel… Safe. Warm. Nice as Douglas still leads so very slowly…

“You,” Martin coughs, flushing pleasantly at the hand that Douglas has just slinked up his torso, “You dance very well.”

“Hmm, I’m a  _very_  good dancer.” Douglas purrs in Martin’s ear, Martin not being able to conceal his gasp.

Douglas’ tone, it sounded so… playful. So flirty, towards Martin.

He liked it.

He liked it very,  _very_  much.

There they swayed so closely together, a few songs in, Martin feeling the utmost of putty in Douglas’ hands. Not feeling like this with anyone in a long while.

The slow song soon fades into just a slightly faster one, Douglas gently twirling Martin back to facing him, the captain just barely holding in his whine of discontent, liking so much just to be held by his FO.

He gasps a little surprise of ‘oh!’ as Douglas doesn’t end their dance. He merely brings Martin back in to his broad form, hand pulling him in as close as he can on the small of his back, placing Martin’s hand up on his shoulder with the other, now being able to just hold the captain in place so very close, their movements barely resembling a dance.

“Having fun?” Douglas murmurs, smile wide as he watches Martin, a shine of… Of delight sparkling in his eyes.

“Yes.” He blurts out, flushing even deeper now, that chuckle Douglas possessed sounding loud and clear at his answer.

Martin was beginning to like that sound a bit too much.

“I’m glad. Do you maybe want to do this again sometime?”

“Pardon?”

“Do this again. On a date. With yours truly.” He spells it out, his eyebrow lightly cocked in a teasing way.

“D-Date? With…With me? What happened to, ’no one is peaking my interest’?” Martin sputters, hands unintentionally gripping on Douglas, trying to ground himself at his first officer’s question.

“If you remember, captain, I said, ‘not one soul out  _there_ ’. You specifically are not  _out **there**_.“

“No… No I am not.” He says softly, still a little confused at what was going on.

“Indeed. If it isn’t apparent by now, sir; I like you. Have for a while now, in all honesty.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I do realize, now that you’ve confirmed my suspicions, it could take you a very long while to like me in that way-”

“But I like you in that way!” Martin exclaims, immediately feeling his face burn in his embarrassment, looking away, his mortification sinking in quickly.

All Douglas does is laugh warmly, Martin looking back up to see a very kind smile lining Douglas’ lips.

“Well, that’s good to know.”

“The thing is-,” Martin barrels on, doing so in order not to lose his nerve, “Even if I, I like you,” Douglas just keeps smiling sweetly, swaying them so very gently, “And, and we start dating, and are together; it could be a long time before I’m… I’m …  _Sexually_ …  _ **attracted**_  to you,” he murmurs the last little bit, feeling himself blush even further, “I could fall madly, deeply in love with you, but it could take a while for us to…Move on to, to other things… Christ, why am I telling you all this?! I haven’t even said yes!”

“I’m guessing…” Douglas starts, sounding very careful in his words, “You’re sharing this as someone wasn’t so understanding of you being demi.”

“… No,” Martin looks away, feeling almost shame, “No they were not.”

By this time; they weren’t really dancing. Douglas only held Martin nicely, in a near hug, one hand just gently running up and down Martin’s side in more of a soothing way than any other.

“Martin… I would never do anything like that,” Martin looks back up at Douglas, almost timidly, only finding a man that looked to be completely understanding, “I would never try to make you feel bad, I would never try and guilt you. I would never force anything that wasn’t natural,” He pulls Martin in even closer, rubbing his back nicely, their stance feeling more hug like than before, “Look… I like you. I like you a whole lot. Both as a friend and a potential partner. I absolutely understand that that part of a relationship with you could take a while, could even not happen. I also understand if you don’t want to try this at all and just remain friends. Whatever you decide; I’m on board.”

“… You really do understand.” Martin murmurs, placing his forehead lightly on Douglas’ chest, smiling, not knowing why he felt that tell tale sign of a sting in the corner of his eye, not letting it get the best of him.

“Completely.” Is all Douglas responds with, Martin hearing the smile in his voice, also feeling Douglas’ arms wrapping around him in a true hug, as if to add to that understanding.

Martin lets his arms slide down Douglas’ torso in order to wrap them around Douglas’ middle for a proper hug, sighing at the warm embrace, the garden party completely forgotten in the background.

“Douglas?”

“Yes?” He says in a soft voice, Martin rather enjoying it.

“I’d love to go on a date with you.” He looks up at his FO, finding a warm smile waiting for him.

“Terrific.”

Martin smiles widely at Douglas’ response, feeling himself blush pleasantly.

“I think, I think our dance might be done,” Douglas just grins, his hug possibly tightening just a tad bit, “Maybe, maybe we can just, just have a chat for a while? Maybe discuss a bit about those date plans?”

“I would very much like that, sir.”

They finally part themselves from one another, Martin giving a slight cough. Very possibly trying to cover up the fact that his cheeks may have became even more ruddy from realization of just how long they may have been hugging.

They claim a spot on a bench further into Carolyn’s garden, a little a ways from the party, from the sound, from the noise, talking of this, of that, laughing. Just enjoying one another’s company in this new realm of knowing they liked one another.

Their date was set for next Thursday.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, Marlas! ;) ❤
> 
> So. . . I drew the first fanart there in December, and then I wanted another to go with it later on. So the second one was drawn later in January. AND THEN, this fic was inspired, so there we go. UwU ❤❤❤
> 
> But yes. . . My fanart just sorta inspires silly fanfics, so I do so hope you enjoy. :)
> 
> Hearts.
> 
> ❤


End file.
